Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters do not belong to me, but the plot is mine. This fan-fiction had been written purely for entertainment purposes. No infringement was intended and no profit had been made out of this.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, guys! I'm glad you've enjoyed the last chapter, even though there was no MA!

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Irresistible Rivals - Chapter 13

(by elle6778)

Max opened her eyes and groaned at the soreness she felt in her shoulders.

Wanting to know how long she had been out, she brought her wrist to her eyes just to find her watch missing. Jack or Zack must have taken it back to HQ for data analysis, she deduced. Hopefully there would be something useful in there after all the trouble she had gone through to get it.

She propped herself up in the unfamiliar bed in the spare room, shaking her head slightly to clear the cobwebs from it before she directed her gaze to the clock mounted on the wall. It was 0900 hours in the morning. The blood transfusion from Zack and the night's rest must have done some good because now she did not feel as washed out as she had done yesterday.

Yesterday…

Alec…

She grimaced, irritated that he had to invade her mind so early in the morning. Not only the guy was a pain in the ass during her mission, but now he had the nerve to invade her personal time.

Looking down, she realised that she only had her underwear on. She frowned, not remembering if she had undressed herself or someone else had done it. Her weariness must have really caught up with her and she had probably passed out during the transfusion, seeing that she could not recall much of the event.

Rolling off the side of the bed, she stepped to her backpack. She needed to bring it home and unpack. Her eyes went to her clothes which were slung over the back of a chair. As she picked them up to toss them into the laundry bin, something fell out.

Alec's toolkit.

She had forgotten that she still had it. Picking it up, she held it in front of her eyes. It was a plain object with no markings, but the quality was good. She would bring it with her later. Maybe someone would recognise the make.

As she pulled out some fresh underwear she had packed in the bag yesterday, a thought suddenly occurred to her. Alec had been through the stuff her 'cover' apartment. Did that mean that he had riffled through her personal stuff? Like her clothes? That was just sick, she thought in distaste, holding up one of her bra gingerly. Had Alec touched this one? Should she wear it?

Finally throwing it down in irritation, Max stood over the bag and glowered at it. The idea of wearing the underwear that Alec might have touched made her strangely uncomfortable.

It's just clothes, for crying out loud, Max, her inner voice admonished sternly.

Max rolled her eyes as she reached back to unclip her bra. She knew it was just clothes. But it was something personal to her.

Unlike your lips, huh, Max? The voice mocked.

The images that she had been blocking since the unexpected event suddenly flashed before her eyes.

She flushed at the memory.

It was weird. Now that she looked back, she suddenly noticed so much more. Like the way his breath had fanned her cheeks as he hesitated for a mere second before his lips touched hers. Like how his tongue had teased her bottom lip before he sucked on it. Like how his throat had emitted a low growl so soft that she did not think that he had even realised it himself.

She tensed. What was she thinking? That kiss was something she had hoped not to recall anytime soon. Let alone replay the event in her head.

That was it. She needed to speak to either Sandeman or Lydecker about what she suspected about Alec soon. Also there was no way she was going to carry on with the mission without informing them about the risks.

Then maybe Alec would stay out of her head once and for all.

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Alec threw in another change of clothes into his bag while 511 stared on.

"Man, this is not a good idea," 511 remarked with a frown on his face.

Looking up briefly from his task, Alec replied, "I have to do it. We don't know where Ivanov is hiding right now and time is something we don't have. Renfro's going to toss us straight into Psy-Ops if she finds out that we've got nothing."

"But asking Seth, or 354 for help is not exactly a foolproof plan. Who knows if he would even hand us the information Unitech has on Ivanov? What if he reports you to Renfro?"

Alec shook his head. "Not likely. The guy's based in Wyoming. He reports to Sandoval."

"I'm sure Sandoval and Renfro compare notes from time to time," 511 declared flatly.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Alec challenged, "You have a better idea? One which does not involve our incarceration in Punishment or Psy-Ops?"

511 groaned. "Look, man. It just seems a little risky to be counting on a guy we barely know. Not to mention he did not seem too friendly the last time you guys met."

Alec shrugged. "We're all X5s. I'll try to make him understand. After all, it's all Manticore missions."

"Doesn't it strike you as strange that Renfro had sent us to the very same place that Sandoval had sent 354? Not to mention that there's no record of that Unitech mission in the files."

"That doesn't mean anything. Lots of our deep cover missions are not recorded on file."

511 shook his head. "I go on record as saying that this is a bad idea. A very bad idea."

"So long as the record doesn't end up in Renfro's hand, I'm okay with that," Alec said with a smirk.

A short pause followed, and then 511 suggested, "I should go out in the field with you. That way, you'll have some physical backup."

"I think I'll be fine."

511 snorted. "You call getting tranq-ed fine? 354 and Max watches each others back. You have no one. That was how you got hit in the first place."

"Good point," Alec assented thoughtfully. Maybe it would be better for 511 to be with him, considering that he now knew what he was up against. He could handle Ordinaries, but Seth being in the picture kind of threw everything off-balance.

But much as he disliked the thought of asking Seth for help, Alec knew that he needed to. For his own sake, he needed to get along with the guy at least until he got what he wanted.

"So, do you know where we're going?"

"Find Max, and we'll find our friend."

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Find Lydecker, and the information would get to Sandeman, Max thought as she sped down the almost deserted highway. Trees on either side of the road flashed past, occasionally broken by a road or two crisscrossing the one she was on.

Good thing Lydecker did not live far from the compound. Max did not think she would be patient enough for a long drive, which she would probably have to suffer through if she had chosen to look for Sandeman.

The old man was elusive to say the least. But Max guessed he had a good reason for it. Having Manticore on one's trail was one heck of a good reason. But he had been away for too long, even by his usual standards. The last time she had seen him was about half a year ago, when he had decided to pop into the Unitech headquarters to see how they were doing.

It was just short of noon when she pulled into an underground carpark. After securing her bike, she made her way to the lift which brought her up to his apartment. The complex was very basic, and nondescript enough to avoid attention.

Max's lips twitched. It was funny how wary all of them were of Manticore, even after all these years. In a way, she wondered if they would ever stop being that cautious. She would have thought that if Manticore had not caught on by now, they never would.

Well, apart from Sandeman's case, of course. The disappearance of the creator of the transgenics was sure to attract a lot of attention. But Sandeman was smart enough to keep a very low profile.

Lydecker was another matter. Manticore did not know of Lydecker's significance in the entire picture since he had left the place a couple of years after the incident, having claimed that he wanted to retire. So far, it would seem that Manticore had not suspected him of anything. However, they all knew that they could not be too careful.

She grinned. As for her and her siblings, surely Manticore would not go looking for something they had never realised was missing. Now that she was much older and wiser than her nine-year-old self, she could not help being amazed by the length Unitech had gone through to get them.

She sobered at the thought. One thing she must not forget was the price everyone paid for the escape. Sandeman and Unitech had drummed it into them countless times as they were growing up. It was something which, although regrettable, could not be fixed just like that.

But Unitech was working on it, she reminded herself as she arrived at Lydecker's apartment.

And she hoped that it would be enough.

She raised her hand to knock on the door, but before she made contact, the door swung open. Her jaw dropped when she saw who was standing in front of her.

Seth looked just as surprised as she was, but recovered his ability for speech first.

"Max. Hi," he greeted. Then pointing a thumb backwards, he said, "I guess you're looking for Lydecker, huh?"

"Yeah," she said slowly, wondering what was Seth doing there. Perhaps he had arrived at the same conclusion as she had done? Stepping aside to let him pass, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Had to make a report," he replied briefly.

"About yesterday?"

"Partly, yes," he said in a guarded voice.

Max narrowed her eyes. He was being irritatingly cryptic as usual. "I take it you're not going to elaborate on that."

Seth sighed, choosing not to reply.

"Right." Walking through the door, she looked over her shoulders and said, "One day you're going to have to come clean, you know. We're all supposed to be family. And it gets kinda weird when one member seems to be slipping further and further away."

Seth looked at her sharply. But before he could say anything, she shut the door behind her.

"What was that all about?"

Max raised her eyebrows at the man in front of her. Then she shrugged carelessly. "Nothing."

Lydecker gave her a knowing look. "He's just doing what he thinks is best, Max. Making him feel bad won't help anything."

Rolling her eyes, Max said dismissively, "Yeah. Somehow, I'm not surprised that you're defending him. I wonder why." She paused and pretended to think. "Oh, could it be because the orders came from you?"

Instead of answering, Lydecker gestured to the couch. "Have a seat."

"Evasive tactics, huh? Learning from your own lessons, Deck?" Max said as she dropped herself onto the couch. "So, what was Seth doing here?"

Lydecker sat down beside her. "I'm sure you didn't come here to discuss Seth, Max. So what is it?"

Knowing that Lydecker would not say anything more on the subject, Max let it go. She was not here to discuss Seth anyway.

"You know the weapons mission? The mission Unitech had me down for? The one involving this guy Ivanov?"

"I know about it. I was the one who suggested that you might enjoy it."

She gave him a droll look. "Gee, thanks, Deck. Like you don't know how much I hate these missions."

Lydecker chuckled. "Think of it as a job, Max. That's all it is. A job. So, what about the mission?"

"To make this short, I think Manticore's after the same thing."

"Why do you say that?"

"'Cause another guy is after the blueprints as well. And I think he might be an X5." She took out Alec's toolkit from her pocket. "This belongs to him. Thought you might recognise it from your Manticore days."

"Hmm…" Lydecker studied the object with an unreadable expression on his face. Then he looked up from the toolkit in his hands. "This looks like what Manticore would issue to its soldiers, but it's not one I've seen before."

"You don't seem surprised, Deck. Did Seth mention something?"

Lydecker nodded, and then stood up. "So, Manticore's after the same thing. That makes things a little more complicated," he said with a frown.

"Tell me about it. After all these years, the last thing we want is for Manticore to catch on to happened back then. And if the guy works out that I'm an X5 as well, I'm sure Manticore would hear about it. The thing is, what about the mission?"

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go back in. Someone else have to take your place. Jondy, perhaps?" Lydecker suggested, looking thoughtful.

"She's not back yet."

"Tinga?"

Max shook her head. "Eva and Zane's with her now. Something happened, I think," she said worriedly.

Lydecker looked surprised. "What happened? I wasn't told."

Max said quickly, "None of us know anything. Eva didn't say much to Jack when she left with Zane."

"I should get into contact with her."

Nodding, Max agreed. "Hopefully it's nothing big."

"Wait here," Lydecker instructed as he went for his phone. Picking it up, he dialled a number from memory and waited.

"Eva?" he began.

Max sat straighter, her attention fixed to the phone in Lydecker's hand as she strained to hear the conversation.

"Deck! This is a surprise," Eva said.

"Where are you now?"

"Seeing to something. Why?"

"What is this I'm hearing about Tinga having some problems?"

A short pause followed. "She's with me now. We'll tell you when we get back in a day or two. It's not something we can explain over the phone."

Max exchanged a curious look with Lydecker. Turning back to the phone, he said, "Make sure you do that." And then hung up.

Max was surprised that Lydecker had not pushed for more. "That's it?"

"Apparently so. We'll just have to wait then."

"Well, I guess since they're heading back soon, it can't be that bad, right?"

Lydecker snorted. "When it comes to you X5s, anything could happen."

"Hey, you're the one who let us out, remember?" she remarked with a grin.

"I feel like I've been relegated to the role of a nanny ever since you came out, such a waste of my military background."

"Aw, don't feel so bad about it, Deck. You did instruct the others on our training regime for a while," she pointed out. Then she sighed, "So what are we going to do about Ivanov? I guess both Zane and I are out of the picture, huh? Not to mention Seth?"

Lydecker nodded. "We'll see what Eva comes back with. Then maybe the idea would be to send her out instead."

"It's your call, Deck," Max said as she stood up and stretched. "I've gotta blaze. Need to check on something back in HQ."

Lydecker tilted his head at her. "I'll let you know once I've discussed things with Sandeman."

Then she left.

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The rain showered down from the sky relentlessly, making his hair stick to his head in an uncomfortable mass. Alec rubbed the water droplets off his eyelashes as he walked down the street with 511 by his side.

"They could be out of town for all we know, 494."

Alec continued to scan his surroundings, only listening to his partner with half an ear. They had been at it for three days now, but Seth and Max seemed to have disappeared off the face of the planet. They had scoured practically the entire city without success and Alec was beginning to have second thoughts about his plans.

Maybe 511 was right. Max and Seth could be out of town for all he knew. That would make things hard for him. His face set in grim lines, Alec began to walk across the street towards the marketplace.

"We'll have a quick look around this place, and then we go," he told 511 as they entered the market which provided them a certain amount of reprieve from the rain.

The smell was the first thing that hit his senses, making him cringe involuntarily. They had just entered the fresh produce section to be surrounded by squawking chickens and hollering sellers. This mission was getting worse and worse, Alec thought irritably.

"This place stinks," 511 remarked grumpily as they walked. "Somehow, I can't see 354 hanging out here."

"But Max might," Alec pointed out as he sidestepped a rotten cabbage on the floor. Ordinaries did not seem to find the smell overpowering like the transgenics did. "The smell isn't going to be as bad for her as it is for us."

"Hmm…I wonder what she's going to think if she finds out what he actually is."

Alec knew that 511 was talking about Seth. Glancing out of the corner of his eyes at his partner, he said, "I don't think he would be that careless." And then he frowned as he recalled the interaction between Seth and Max. "He seemed very protective, though. Maybe he has real feelings for her."

511 raised an eyebrow. "Jealous, 494?"

Alec stopped abruptly. He could not believe what he had just heard. "Are you crazy? Jealous of what? The girl's a menace. He can have her, for all the trouble she's worth!" he exclaimed as he gave 511 an incredulous look.

511's shoulders shook with laughter. "Man, you're protesting just a little bit too much there."

Glaring at 511, Alec replied darkly, "That's just not funny."

511 smirked. "Right."

Still glowering, Alec continued to scan the marketplace. Inwardly, 511's words remained with him.

He meant what he had said. There was no way he was jealous of Seth's relationship with Max. Why should he be jealous, anyway? It was not like he wanted Max for himself. The girl had been nothing but a pain ever since he had encountered her in the first mission. He had sustained more bruises and battering in the short time he had known her than he could remember ever having in his previous missions.

But you sure liked the kiss, huh, Alec?

Alec frowned. He had only kissed her because he wanted to shut her up. It was not as if he had found her irresistible or anything like that. She had not even returned his kiss. It had been like kissing an unresponsive brick wall.

Yeah, right. Kissing a brick wall that was so soft and sweet that you had to forcefully push the memory to the back of your mind so that you wouldn't think about it?

Alright, maybe not a brick wall. But definitely unresponsive. Hell, he did not know what to think. It was too confusing. All he knew was that she was a rival and that was all, nothing else. Thinking about her in any other way would affect his mission and that was something he could not afford. It was too dangerous.

She was too dangerous.

511's voice broke into his thoughts. "Hey, there's a girl matching your description over there."

Alec quickly turned, suddenly alert. The moment he set his eyes on the dark haired girl, he sagged inwardly. Sighing in exasperation, he muttered, "No. That's not her."

511 rubbed his temples. "Maybe we should call it quits for today."

"Yeah," Alec agreed. He had enough for today.

Just as he turned to leave, he caught sight of a flash of dark hair out of the corner of his eyes. He focussed harder, and then caught the side profile of the girl. His breath caught.

It was Max.

"Wait. I think I see her."

His heart pounding in anticipation, Alec rushed in the direction towards her, trying to push past the Ordinaries without attracting too much attention.

Then he halted in his tracks. She had disappeared into the crowd which was leaving the market. No! His eyes darted around frantically. This was the closest he had got to her in days and he would not allow her to slip away.

Then he saw her again. She was walking very briskly towards a side street, seemingly in a hurry.

"There," Alec exclaimed as he made a beeline for her.

511 grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Hey! She's gonna run when she sees you. And we can't afford to manhandle her in public," 511 pointed out. "Maybe I should approach her. Catch her off guard."

Alec hesitated for a second before he digested 511's words. "Yeah. That's probably a good idea. Now, go before she escapes."

He watched as 511 ran to the side street and continued at a slower pace. It would give 511 enough time to work his charms on her. Women generally found it difficult to resist the guy, Alec acknowledged. But somehow, the thought of 511 charming Max left a sour taste in his mouth.

Snap out of it, soldier! This is nothing but a mission and she's a rival, he scolded himself sternly. If his hormones were craving a female, then fine, he would go work his charms on some convenient and available female. There were plenty of them around, and he had never been rejected before.

Except for Max.

Pushing all his wayward thoughts to the back of his mind, Alec stepped closer to the side street, treading softly so that he would not give away his presence. Just around the corner from the street, he paused to listen.

It was silent.

Way too silent, he thought with a frown. Max could not have possibly taken 511 down, could she? But before Alec could take another step, he heard something.

Something which sounded suspiciously like a moan. Not the sort that someone made when they were in pain, but something else.

He could have sworn that was the street which 511 had followed Max into. His frowned. What was going on there?

He needed to check. Tensing in readiness, he spun around and turned into the side street.

What he saw made his jaw drop.

Sheltered from the rain under an overhanging balcony above, 511 and Max were locked in an embrace. Max was pushed up against the wall with her legs wrapped around 511's hips and he was devouring her lips like he could not get enough of her. And Max seemed to be responding just as heatedly.

Not so unresponsive after all, he thought absently through the shock which had rooted him to the spot.

Then it hit him.

The scent was faint at that distance, diluted by the pouring rain, but it hit him like a sledgehammer.

Suddenly he felt on the edge. His eyes widened disbelievingly. He knew what the scent was, and its implication boggled his mind.

Unknowingly, he whispered out loud, "Not possible. It can't be."

511's hands were tangled in Max's dark locks as he continued to kiss her and Max was humping against his hips uncontrollably. The sight made Alec's blood boil, and he was not sure if it was because of his own growing arousal or something else.

All he knew was that he could not stand to watch any more of the display.

Without thinking further, he rushed out of the rain under the overhang and yanked 511 roughly off Max. Losing her support, Max tumbled to the ground with a cry of outrage.

"Hey!" 511 protested indignantly.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Alec yelled harshly as he shook his partner.

511 shook his head as if to clear it, but before he could say anything, Max stepped towards them. Alec dropped his hold on 511 as his attention was drawn to her.

"Hey, Alec," she crooned, her eyes running up and down his body. The sway of her hips was hypnotising as she made her way towards him.

All thoughts of 511 disappeared from his mind in an instant. Involuntarily, Alec took a step towards her. Her scent assaulted his senses, making him light-headed with arousal. Images of them locked together with him thrusting in a heated frenzy filled his mind. All Alec wanted at that moment was to grab her and give her what her eyes were begging for.

"It's nice to see you here," she said, her voice like melted honey. "You wanna come closer?"

His eyes darkened. "As close as you can handle, baby." But before Alec could get to her, he found himself thrown out into the rain.

Apparently 511 had the same idea as well. "Not while I'm here, 494," he snarled angrily.

Alec groaned. The impact against the ground had knocked a certain amount of clarity into his head. The cold droplets of rain showering against his face helped as well. He pulled himself to his feet, shaking his head roughly. Taking care to avoid Max, he snapped at 511, "You're not thinking clearly. Can't you see that she's in heat?"

"Heat?" 511's brow furrowed as he appeared to think. And then to Alec's dismay, the heated look came back. "Just back off, alright? I saw her first."

"You leave me with no choice then."

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t.b.c.

A/N: Hope you've enjoyed that. Hehe…Wonder what's gonna happen to them now. Please review and let me know what you think!